Families preparing for the college admissions process hear a lot about the ROI of a college degree. Which school gives you the most return on your investment? Which major will pay off the most immediately after graduation and the years after? What many families forget to consider, however, is why college matters outside of the measurable metrics. While earning more income after graduation is one major reason to attend college, students also want to further explore their interests, discover more about themselves, and enhance their lives.

There are many nuances to the college admissions process, and one of the aspects that can be hard for students to navigate is whether or not applying to their parents’ alma mater will impact their chances of admission. Legacy status in college admissions can be a confusing avenue to travel, but there can be some benefits — and drawbacks — to applying to college as a legacy.

The most important piece of information that students will receive after taking the ACT is their Score Report. The ACT Score Report is multi-faceted, and contains information that not only lets students know how they did, but also understand their specific and relative strengths and weaknesses to help guide their preparation for the next test sitting. So how can students and parents use this information to improve their scores in the future?

Many high school athletes dream of continuing to play their sport at the collegiate level, whether it’s at a Division I, II, or III school. From football and basketball to swimming, baseball, softball, and more, there are a number of sports in which student athletes can be recruited to play at the next level, but it’s important for students to understand the basics of the athletic recruiting process before deciding if it’s an avenue they want to pursue.

With spring comes long-awaited admission decisions, but it also brings along AP exam season — and students should be preparing now for these long and intensive exams.

Your SAT Score Report has a lot of useful information, but understanding what each score means and how they translate into actionable items to aid your college prep can be difficult. Our team of test prep experts has put together the following SAT Score Report guide to help families better understand their students’ SAT scores and how they can use these results to make informed decisions on how to proceed with test prep.

The ACT is an important exam and your score will be used not only for college admission purposes, but also to determine qualification for scholarships and even course placement. Your performance on the ACT Math section may be particularly important for admission into a technical school or a quantitative major. So if you choose to take the ACT, how should you prepare for the math section?

Have you wondered about what happens to your applications after the submit button is pressed? All that hard work you have put in to making your application the best it could be is seemingly transmitted into an electronic abyss. It may be tempting to think that all that remains for your application’s future is a roll of the dice — hopefully in your favor — but while you are waiting for your results, your application is taking a long journey and undergoing various processes. We’re here to provide some insight into what happens to your application after it leaves your hopeful hands.

The spring semester is a popular testing time, and high school sophomores and juniors need to have a plan to prepare for these important college admission exams. An excellent SAT or ACT score is not a guarantee of admission, but it can be the difference between the “maybe” and the “no” pile when admissions officers are reviewing applications.

Grades are the most important application component that colleges consider, and final exams can have a big impact on your overall course grade for the semester. Don’t wait until the last minute to start studying for finals.